Fallow ground

There are three things about fallow ground we need to discover this morning. What is fallow ground? 1. Fallow ground is ground that was once productive but now lays waste . At one time it gave forth a bountiful harvest. Now it is desolate. Produces little more than weeds.. Hosea could identify with the need to break up the fallow ground.. He remembered Israel’s glorious past. The miraculous deliverance…the Red Sea crossing…the manna from heaven…the water from a rock…God’s wonderful watch care and presence. These were fading from memory…. Israel had sinned against a holy God. They had left their first love.. This straying away led to the prophet’s call. We can identify with the need for this call in our time as well. There are many in our society today trying to rewrite our history books. They try to deny our Godly heritage. But America was founded upon the belief in a holy and righteous God.. Our founding fathers were devoted, Christian men. Men of God who dared to take a stand for Christ. God richly blessed our nation because of this. We were blessed above all nations on the earth…just like Israel. Yet we too, have strayed…we too, have turned our backs on our Savior! But it’s not just in our nation. Sadly, our churches have grown cold as well. Many have become more interested in playing church than in changing lives. More interested in socials rather than souls. More interested in the corporation than the congregations. More interested in the windows than the widows. Caring more for the yard, than the youth.. All have become saints, rather than sinners saved by grace! Caring less and less about the lost that Jesus died for!!!. What used to be a great harvest field has become fallow ground.. What does Fallow Ground Produce? Fallow ground produces thorns and thistles.(Mat 13:22) He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.. The seed (in this case the Word of the Lord) has to fall upon good soil in order to be fruitful. 
How many of you raise gardens?. How successful will you be if you just open the back door and throw the seed out on the ground?. Would you bank your crop on that kind of preparation?. The seed must go into a soil that has been ripped up and sifted through if it is to have a chance of producing fruit. Yet so many times we attempt to raise Christians in God’s garden the same way.. A heart has to be tender to accept the seed and become fruitful. Jesus, (picturing Himself) said: “(Joh 12:24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.. We as faithful sowers of the Word must seek out tender hearts that will grasp onto this great promise.. Secondly, Fallow Ground produces the root of bitterness.Heb 12:14-15 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;. As we gather in God’s house and sing songs like Sweet, Holy Spirit, we must constantly guard against one of Satan’s favorite tools to use against Christians, and that is bitterness!. And be aware! This tool is most often used against those who are working in the church.. Lack of cooperation can lead one to disappointment. 
d. Lack of results can lead to bitterness.. Jealousy and bitterness often go hand in hand.. No matter what the cause, there is no more harmful thing in God’s house than bitterness of soul.. Notice in Heb 12:15 at the end of the verse…and thereby many be defiled.. If you have become bitter toward a fellow Christian, or towards the church, or even towards God, your heart has become fallow ground, and the ground that once was fruitful and pleasant has become useless and barren. This happened to Israel ,dont make the same mistake and let it happen to you .